Published: Thursday, 31st December, 2009 9:00am

`I'm Gunnar be the next Kevin Doyle'

by Anthony Smith

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Royals legend: Kevin Doyle leads the goal celebrations followed by Stephen Hunt during the club's Premier League days. But is Gunnar Thordvalsson the man to fill Doyle's boots?

GUNNAR Thorvaldsson has boldly claimed he could be the next Kevin Doyle after completing his loan move to Reading.

The 27-year-old Iceland striker joins from Danish Superliga side Esbjerg for the rest of the season, with a view to a permanent transfer next summer.

He has already trained with the squad and met his new team-mates and he will be eligible for selection for the home clash against Championship leaders Newcastle United on January 9.

Royals have been chasing Thorvaldsson for years and the former Swedish golden boot winner has drawn strong comparisons with Doyle who became a massive fans' favourite with 56 goals in 163 appearances during a four year spell before his £6.5 million switch to Wolves - a transfer record for both clubs.

In his first interview in England, Thorvaldsson explained: "The style of English football and mentality suits my style of play and I'm looking forward to getting going.

"I have always been very close to signing for Reading and I think the time is right now.

"They have been chasing me since I was playing with Halmstads in Sweden, but they had Kevin Doyle at the time.

"Steve Coppell said to me that when he looked at me on the pitch he saw Kevin Doyle - he saw nearly the same person.

"It's a massive compliment, Doyle is a very good player and I've seen him play many times and there are similar things between us.

"But he is Kevin Doyle and I am Gunnar Thorvaldsson."

Thorvaldsson, a cousin of Royals skipper Ivar Ingimarsson, has always dreamed of a move to England.

He won the Golden Boot in Sweden with 16 goals for Halmstads which led to a big move to Hanover 96 in the German Bundesliga.

But his time there was hampered by injury and he eventually left for Esbjerg in Denmark.

"I've been looking at English football since I was a little boy and I always felt this was how I wanted to play football and I wanted to come here," he added.

"But I wanted to go to other countries first. I didn't want to come to England just to be here, I want to be somebody here and do something in the game.

"I'm 27 now and I kind of felt my chance of coming here had maybe gone. I haven't been playing much for my club in Denmark.

"But I personally feel as though I'm coming into my best years as a football player. I have developed a lot and I have had a lot of ups and downs.

"I've learnt a massive amount from them and I'm definitely a better player than I was in Sweden so hopefully I can do some good things for Reading."